Stuff the Bus is back, and this year it matters more than ever.
At the Flagstaff Family Food Center, we’re seeing more neighbors turn to us for help than ever before. Inflation, lost SNAP benefits, and anticipated Medicaid changes starting January 1 are all bringing new families through our doors. At the same time, we’re receiving less food, which means we’re serving more people with less to hand out. That’s a hard place to be, and it’s exactly why this food drive is so important.
But if there’s one thing I know about this community, it’s that it shows up. We’re proud to once again partner with Safeway, Mountain Line, the City of Flagstaff, and Coconino County for our 11th annual Stuff the Bus food drive.
When and where:
Saturday and Sunday, November 7 and 8
9 am to 5 pm at two Safeway locations:
1201 S. Plaza Way
1500 E. Cedar Ave.
Volunteers will greet shoppers and collect donations of food and funds to provide Thanksgiving meals for families in need.
Stop by, pick up a list of our most-needed items, and drop off what you can. Monetary gifts are always welcome, too. Want to lend a hand? Sign up to volunteer here.
Where Your Gifts Go
Everything collected at Stuff the Bus feeds directly into our biggest distribution of the year, Holiday Helpings, on Sunday, November 22 at Northern Arizona University.
Last year, Holiday Helpings put full Thanksgiving meal kits into the hands of 931 households, serving more than 3,500 people. Our previous one-day record had been 550 families. This year, with the need growing, every turkey, every can, every box of stuffing truly counts.
Holiday Helpings wouldn’t be possible without our volunteers and our partners at NAU!
If you’d like to join in (and it really is a lot of fun), please consider volunteering. And, if you aren’t available on November 22nd, we have one more Thanksgiving food drive on Monday, November 23rd at the Fry’s Grocery at 201 N. Canyon Switzer Drive. Details on both Holiday Helpings and the Fry’s Flying High Turkey Drive are here.
Whether you give food, funds, or time, you’re making a real difference for families in our community.
Thank you for living out our mission of Neighbors Feeding Neighbors, Every Day.
Sincerely,
Ethan Amos
President & CEO
A Candid Update on Our Food Supply
At Flagstaff Family Food Center, we understand that in addition to feeding our neighbors every day, we also serve as a hub for people facing food insecurity. When visitors come to our Kitchen, they receive more than a meal, and can also be connected to other vital resources in the community.
More Than a Meal: Meet our Social Services Coordinator
At Flagstaff Family Food Center, we understand that in addition to feeding our neighbors every day, we also serve as a hub for people facing food insecurity. When visitors come to our Kitchen, they receive more than a meal, and can also be connected to other vital resources in the community.
What We Learned at the 2026 Anti-Hunger Summit
Earlier this month, the Flagstaff Family Food Center hosted our third annual Northern Arizona Anti-Hunger Summit at Grace Church. Each year we bring together the people who work on hunger day in and day out - food bank employees, farmers, dietitians, health care providers, faith leaders, and decision-makers.
